Btukfyl

I have an upload file button looks like this: <a href="javascript:void('');"></a>

Trying to upload file through it using sendKeys() method.
But I get errors cannot focus on element. Is there's a workaround or the way to upload file with <a> tag?

I use this:

driver.findElementsByXPath("//a[@title='Upload an image']").get(0).sendKeys(System.getProperty("user.dir") + "filesimage.jpg");

Tried also to click(), to moveToElement(element).build().perform() to focus on the element.

No it won't be possible to upload a file with selenium through <a> tag.

File uploading is achieved through:

• 
  <input> tags.


• These <input> tags needs focus before being filled up by any character sequence
  

On the contrary,

• 
  

  The attributes of an <a> tag are are as follows:

  
  
  
  
  
  • 
    charset: Defines the character encoding of the linked document.
  
  
  • 
    coords: Specifies the coordinates appropriate to the shape attribute to define a region of an image for image maps
  
  
  • 
    href: Specifies the URL of a page or the name of the anchor that the link goes to.
  
  
  • 
    hreflang: Language code of the destination URL.
  
  
  • 
    name: Marks an area of the page that a link jumps to.
  
  
  • 
    rel: Describes the relationship between the current document and the destination URI.
  
  
  • 
    rev: Specifies the relationship between the target URL and the current document.
  
  
  • 
    shape: Specifies the shape of the image map.
  
  
  • 
    target: Where to open the target URL.
  
  
  • 
    type: Specifies the MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type of the target URL
  
  
  • 
    accesskey: Access keys (or shortcut keys).
  
  
  • 
    class: Document wide identifier.
  
  
  • 
    dir: Specifies the direction of the text.
  
  
  • 
    id: Document wide identifier.
  
  
  • 
    tabindex: Helps determine the tabbing order when the user 'tabs' through the elements on the page.
  
  
  • 
    title: Specifies a title to associate with the element.
  
  
  • 
    style: Helps to include inline casecadubf style sheet.
  
  
  • 
    lang: Sets the language code.
  
  
  
  


• 
  

  The event attributes of an <a> tag are are as follows:

  
  
  
  
  
  • 
    onfocus: Script runs when the element gets focus.
  
  
  • 
    onblur: Script runs when the element loses focus.
  
  
  • 
    onclick: Script runs when a mouse click.
  
  
  • 
    ondblclick: Script runs when a mouse double-click.
  
  
  • 
    onmousedown: Script runs when mouse button is pressed.
  
  
  • 
    onmouseup: Script runs when mouse button is released.
  
  
  • 
    onmouseover: Script runs when mouse pointer moves over an element.
  
  
  • 
    onmousemove: Script runs when mouse pointer moves.
  
  
  • 
    onmouseout: Script runs when mouse pointer moves out of an element.
  
  
  • 
    onkeypress: Script runs when key is pressed and released.
  
  
  • 
    onkeydown: Script runs when key is pressed.
  
  
  • 
    onkeyup: Script runs when key is released.
  
  
  
  

So, ideally the <a> tags should also be able to receive the focus.

But as you are seeing an error as ...cannot focus on element... it may be due to other factors which is out of scope for this question.

Conclusion

File uploading have to be done through <input> tags only.

Reference

• Anchors


• HTML A tag

You need to handle input field of type file, but not link:

driver.findElementByXPath("//input[@type='file']").sendKeys(System.getProperty("user.dir") + "filesimage.jpg");